Story by Dave Brandt, photos from Mitchell Brandt
Patriot Park, Kearney, NE – It took a comeback in the 6th inning as the Kearney varsity softball team took game one of the double header 9-6. Alexa Jacobsen led the team with 3 hits while Lauren Schmeits drove in 3 RBI. Schmeits started the game, allowing 6 runs over 4 innings. Ava Magnani entered the circle in the 5th inning pitching 3 scoreless innings while striking out 4 to earn the win.
In game 2 of the night, Avery Longshore 2-hit the Knights in a run-rule-shortened game. She allowed no runs over 4 innings, striking out 2 en route to a 10-0 win. Emily Drackley and Lauren Schmeits led the Bearcats with 2 hits each. Drackley drove in 4 while Schmeits drove in 3.
The Bearcats end their regular season at 17-14 and travel to Norfolk on Saturday for 3 games at the Heartland Athletic Conference tournament. District tournaments will be next Wednesday and Thursday before state the following week. Current wildcard standings have Kearney as a 2 seed at Millard West, but final standings won’t be released until Monday.
Bearcat JV softball end season with split against Grand Island
In a rematch of games from last week in Grand Island, the Islanders traveled to Kearney to play a double header. The Bearcats won game one 15-5. Grand Island won game two, 12-3. This ends the JV season for the Bearcats, finishing 14-14 on the year.